Thousands dying waiting for social care as Govt ignores crisis Lib Dems: 50 days until Brexit cliff-edge Greg Clark's warning exposes recklessness of Tory Govt Lib Dems: Govt must investigate civil service support for Tory meetings Lib Dems threaten veto to force Govt u-turn on knife crime Thousands dying waiting for social care as Govt ignores crisis Responding to the research by Age UK showing that more than 50,000 older people have now died waiting in vain for care during the 700 days since the Government first said it would publish a Social Care Green Paper, Former Liberal Democrat Health ...

Northamptonshire has been subject to a Conservative double whammy of central government cuts and local mismanagement. So it is a relief to hear that the Department of Transport has allocated £1.3m to repairing the North Bridge over the Nene at Oundle. At present, I am told, the Corby bus tales passengers on "a crazy magical mystery bus tour" around the town, adding 20 minutes to the journey. Should you find yourself at the North Bridge, I can recommend the Nene Valley Brewery and the Tap and Kitchen.

The new Liberator is with subscribers and carries a selection of tributes to Paddy Ashdown You can find a couple of articles from it - one by Tony Greaves and another giving views of Brexit Britain from abroad - on the magazine's website. I have contributed an article-length review of Jonathan Coe's Middle England and, of course, Lord Bonkers has sent in his latest diary. If you turn to Radical Bulletin, the magazine's gossip and inside news section, you will read about the runners and riders to succeed Sal Brinton as party president. Then there's Your Liberal Britain's decision to ...

So, the EU couldn't hold it in any longer after bearing Farage's taunts, and the mess with the negotiations by the prime minister the EU eventually lost their cool and the European Council President Donald Tusk wondered if there was a "special place in hell for those who promoted Brexit without even a sketch of a plan of how to carry it out safely". Not sure whether to be shocked that he is offending the UK or say Bravo ... I think Bravo, wish he would have said this a bit earlier. The usual dross of right-wingers has come out ...

Politics Home's Ross Kempsell reported today that eight of the eleven Lib Dem MPs have written to the Cabinet Secretary today. They want to know whether it's ok for our impartial civil service to be diverted from their jobs to advise the group of Tory MPs who are trying to thrash out a Brexit compromise. EXC: Britain's top civil servant called upon to investigate the use of impartial officials by group of Tory MPs preparing 'Malthouse' Brexit plan for Theresa May. Cabinet Secretary Mark Sedwill asked whether Alternative Arrangements Working Group breaches Whitehall rules pic.twitter.com/sELlfetYHy — Ross Kempsell (@rosskempsell) February ...

Today is the International Day of Zero Tolerance to FGM. As a minister in the Department of International Development, Lynne Featherstone did so much to tackle this practice – work that is now starting to have results, with the first prosecution under the measures she introduced taking place recently. Over on the party website, she writes about her work – and how the current Government is even continuing it. Back in 2013 when I was a DFID minister, together with campaigners like Nimco Ali and Efua Dorkeeno, we kicked off the original government campaign on FGM. We succeeded in securing ...

Responding to the research by Age UK showing that more than 50,000 older people have now died waiting in vain for care during the 700 days since the Government first said it would publish a Social Care Green Paper, Former Liberal Democrat Health Minister Norman Lamb said: "These figures are tragic for many families and the stories of some of those who have been impacted should give many in government and across politics pause for thought."People are turning for help in their old age and help is not there. Despite the crisis in adult social care the Conservatives are consistently ...

Leader of the Liberal Democrats Vince Cable and Lib Dem Brexit spokesperson Tom Brake have today written to the Head of the Civil Service urging him to investigate allegations that civil servants are assisting with the so-called Malthouse Compromise working group. This working group of Conservative MPs has been meeting with officials in the Cabinet Office. Given that the group are not members of the Government, the Liberal Democrats believe the provision of civil service support breaches rules and raises questions for the Prime Minister to answer. Leader of the Liberal Democrats Vince Cable said: "The civil service should not ...

The Liberal Democrats have forced the Conservative Government to withdraw their amendments on controversial knife crime prevention orders.Following the Home Secretary's announcement last week of his intention to introduce 'ASBO style' prevention orders, the Government intended to today amend the Offensive Weapons Bill at the House of Lords Grand Committee. Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesperson in the House of Lords, Brian Paddick, threatened to oppose these amendments forcing the Government to withdraw them due to the need at Grand Committee for unanimity.Responding to the withdrawal, Brian Paddick said: "ASBOs were jettisoned because they unnecessarily criminalised young people, were seen as ...

As Theresa May goes to and for from Brussels once again the forlorn hope of getting reassurances on the Irish backstop, the Brexit process is stagnating, and the clock keeps on ticking towards March 29th. The hard truth for Theresa May, as revealed by the ERG, is that the hardline Brexiteers in her party will never accept any deal that comes back from Brussels. They saw any cooperation with the EU as suspect, and any hopes of securing their backing at the eleventh hour our woefully misguided, despite desperate hopes for a last-minute solution. The backstop has, of course, been ...

It's always sad when a company goes into administration and that is true of the company behind the Liverpool Food and Drink Festivals which folded yesterday. However, in this case there may be a silver lining. I have been concerned ... Continue reading →

Last night, Mr Trump presented his State of the Union to the American People and the watching world. I stayed up late and caught a live stream of it, as well as the Democratic Party response delivered by Stacey Abrams. It was an uninspiring jumble of falsehoods, empty promises, and rhetoric. The highlight of the evening was Congress singing "Happy Birthday" to Holocaust and Pittsburgh shooting survivor Judah Samet, who turned 81. [Image: Judah Samet. Src: White House Public Domain Photo via flickr] The evening began with Presidential hypocrisy as Trump praised three "incredible heroes" who participated in D-Day, yet ...

It is 20 years since the most ambitious European integration project came into effect: the common currency, known as the Euro. Europhiles (and I am one) would do well to understand the successes and failures of this project, as they pose important challenges to the future of European integration. British Europhiles, of course, have a ... Continue reading The Euro at 20. Why is it so popular?

Arriving in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, February 3, 2019, the Supreme Pontiff was welcomed by the Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed al-Nahyan (MBZ), who governs the United Arab Emirates since the stroke of his half-brother the Emir in 2014 On Francis's programme: a mass for the hundreds of thousands of Filipinos and Christian Indians living [...] The post The beautiful diplomacy of interfaith dialogue appeared first on Radix.

Tue, 12:56: I'm now French — and it's more than a flag of convenience https://t.co/8GkbffOSGt @PaulAyataylor's tale. Tue, 16:05: Why Brexit is good for the UK and the EU https://t.co/XOkDhFIWQe @FraserMCameron looks for a silver lining. Tue, 17:11: RT @charliejane: I'm totally in love with this overly elaborate chart of vampire powers in every possible mythos, including Sesame Street.... Tue, 18:13: Tuesday books https://t.co/iDb63yMkTN Tue, 19:15: Thread. https://t.co/yeLhGSTPz0 Tue, 20:48: Doctor Who and Call the Midwife now officially exist in each others' universes https://t.co/YKwBhKeSrT A creative paradox? Tue, 23:46: RT @FraserNelson: @paulmasonnews @Conservatives Hate to admit that you are right. ...

On Thursday 7 February the House of Commons Delegated Legislation Committee will consider the Government's plans to hike the fees people have to pay to access a deceased relative's estate. Don't let the title of the 'Non-Contentious Probate (Fees) Order' fool you – this proposal is anything but non-contentious. Introduced by statutory instrument, the order would see the fees charged for a grant of probate soar from the current flat figure of £215 to as much as £6,000, depending on the value of the estate. Not only is this an unfair way to squeeze money out of grieving and vulnerable ...

Prestwich Hospital have a volunteering open day "Spring into Volunteering" on Tuesday 12 March 2019 2-6pm. The Trust are looking for volunteers for their inpatient services at Prestwich hospital. This includes adult care services, young people's services, the deaf service and substance misuse services. All welcome – more information from Noreen McCole 0161 271 0294.

Help to protect people from falling victim to scams is being offered at Radcliffe Library on Monday 25 February. Paul Geary, community banker at NatWest, will look at a wide range of scams and explain how to spot them and avoid them. Scams can be very believable and are often the work of highly organised criminals. This Friends Against Scams event is free – to book a place, go to There is free parking immediately outside the library. NB: Meet outside the main library entrance at 9.50am. The session runs until 11.30am.

The Greater Manchester Health and Care Champion Awards are the only region-wide awards to recognise members of our paid and unpaid workforce who regularly go above and beyond to improve the health and wellbeing of the people of Greater Manchester. The awards recognise the contribution of our health and care champions; from doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, social workers and pharmacists, to care workers, unpaid carers, apprentices and volunteers, for really making a difference in our communities. The awards are organised by Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership, the body overseeing devolution of the area's health and social care budget, with ...

Or more to the point what's the connection between the area of Melling Civil Parish known as Waddicar and the area of Maghull known as Woodend? For clarity, we are talking about the built-up part of Melling on either side of Waddicar Lane and the part of Maghull between the Meadows and Alt estate either side of Liverpool Road South. The connection? 'At the time of the Domesday Survey, Godiva, the widow of Leofrie, the Earl of Mercia owned Melling which was surrounded by a huge forest that stretched from Waddicar (Wood Acre) to Wood End in Maghull' This is ...

The Independent reports that right-wing think tank, the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), has been issued with a formal warning over breaches of charity law following the publication of a Brexit report. They say that the Charity Commission's warning was handed down in relation to a publication which urged Theresa May to ditch her Chequers plan and which the regulator found was "not sufficiently balanced and neutral". The document, "Plan A+ Creating a Prosperous Post-Brexit UK", was backed by prominent Brexiteers David Davis, Boris Johnson and Jacob Rees-Mogg when it was published in summer 2018: The commission said the report ...

A recent interview with the Dutch ambassador in London shows precisely why the Dutch, usually a sober, very anglophile people, watch the London political scene(s) with horror, astonishment, and deep pity for the ordinary people who end up holding the bag of Brexit. Rich public schoolboys like Rees-Mogg and Boris won't suffer from their overseas investments (NOT in Britain!), but neither do they seem to really care about the millions of people in rust belt and abandoned regions of the UK who voted for Brexit as a desperate cry for help, more than out of national pride, or Johnsons ideological ...

M S Therapy Centre (Tayside) LtdUnit 12b Peddie StreetDundee DD1 5LBTELEPHONE: 01382 566283e-mail - info@taysidemstherapy.co.uk Social Support & Chamber Volunteers Wanted This is an opportunity to undertake a satisfying and rewarding role as part of our team of volunteers, working in our friendly therapy centre while providing an extremely useful and appreciated service to the community. We are looking for social volunteers who are available for a few hours on Saturday, either morning or afternoon or one weekday for a few hours (even every 2 weeks would be ideal), welcoming members, serving refreshments, and clearing and tidying of kitchen area. ...

Islabikes is a growing company based on the Ludlow Food Centre site in Bromfield. It wants to expand and is apply for a permission for works to adapt a unit on Lower Barns Business Park south of Ludford village. These low-key works involve new windows and a glass door to Unit 10, a new porous-surfaced car park, a bike shed and a children's bike test track. This looks a very good application from a significant Ludlow employer. Islabikes design, assemble and sell premium children's bicycles to UK and European markets from their premises. It has recently launched a range for ...